Coin collecting vehicle



Aug. 25, 1964 M. c. ULMER ETAL 3,145,917 COIN COLLECTING VEHICLE Filed May 28, 1962 Z Sheet -Sheet l M c .(JA 6/ fmer Mo 2L Hora/d A. 067 2:

BY W Miw ATTORNEY M. c. ULMER ET AL COIN COLLECTING VEHICLE Aug. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1962 Mac Eme Mara/d My 3,145,917 COIN (IOLLEIZTIN G VEHICLE Macy (1. Uimer, 5485 Monarch St, Baton Rouge, La;

Emery B. Morel, 46% Landwood Drive, Baton Rouge 6,

La; and Harold A. Dei'fez, 2145 N. 18th St., Baton Rouge, La.

Filed May 28, 1962, Ser. No. 198,295 3 Claims. (Cl. 232-16) This invention relates to manually operated coin collecting vehicles. The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a manually operated coin collecting vehicle with means preventing unauthorized removal of coins therefrom.

Second, to provide a wheeled receptacle adapted for use in collecting coins from parking meters and the like in which the coins are introduced through a chute, and having means preventing the removal of the coins otherwise than by removing the cover from the receptacle.

Third, to provide a coin receptacle including a removable cover in which the coins are introduced through the cover which has integral means therein receiving the coins as introduced, and from which the coins are discharged into the receptacle through an opening which is provided with a closure which automatically closes as when the receptacle is inverted or otherwise manipulated in an attempt to discharge coins therefrom.

Fourth, to provide a structure having these several advantages which is simple and economical and may be incorporated or embodied in coin collecting apparatus of types now in use without changing or modifying the general structure thereof.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a coin collecting vehicle embodying our invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of our coin collecting vehicle in its supported position on a surface which is conventionally illustrated.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, mainly in vertical central section, of the upper portion of the receptacle and the discharge guard means included therein, coins being conventionally illustrated on the guard means.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view corresponding to that of FIG. 3 illustrating the relationship of the coin guard parts shown in FIG. 3 when the vehicle is tilted on its wheels, coins being conventionally illustrated, and some of them as discharging into the receptacle.

FIG. is an inverted fragmentary view of the receptacle cover with the coin discharge guard means therein, the guard being shown in closed position.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the inverted receptacle with some coins conventionally illustrated on the closed coin guard plate.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section through the cover and the guard mounted therein on a line corresponding to line 77 of FIG. 3.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in one desirable embodiment thereof adapted for use in collecting coins from parking meters and the like. Such vehicles are designed to be translated, for example from an oflice or control center by an operator provided with means for opening parking meters to remove the coins therefrom. The coins are deposited by the collector in the receptacle of the vehicle. Coin collecting vehicles of this general type are used to a considerable extent. Unfortunately some collectors appropriate some of the coins collected as they may be discharged from receptacle by inverting the vehicles. Theapplicants invention pre- United States Patent 0 M 3,145,917 Patented Aug. 25, 1964 vents such discharge of coins or being discharged as a result of any such manipulation.

The embodiment of our invention illustrated comprises a manually manipulated vehicle having wheels 1 mounted on the axle 2 and having a forwardly projecting platform 3 mounted on the axle and provided with an upwardly projecting standard 4 connected to the platform and provided with a handle 5 at its upper end. These parts are mainly conventionally shown.

The coin receptacle 6 is disposed within an upwardly projecting annular holder 7 mounted on the platform and constituting a part thereof, the receptacle being desirably a sliding fit within the collar or flange. The receptacle is provided with handles 8. The telescoping cover 9 has a flange-like rim 10 which is of substantial width and has a sliding, telescoping engagement with the receptacle 6 as is illustrated in the drawing.

The cover is provided with a keeper 11 With which the latch 12, pivotally mounted on the receptacle at 13, is engageable and retained by means of a padlock designated generally by the number 14. The cover is further retained on the receptacle by means of the rearwardly projecting lug 15 desirably disposed in underlapping relation to the forwardly projecting lug 17 on the standard 4, the parts 15 and 17 having an opening adapted to receive the padlock 18 conventionally shown.

The cover has a central inlet opening 19 surrounded by an upwardly projecting flange 20 on which the lower end of the flexible conduit or inlet tube 21 is sleeved and retained by the clamp 22. The upper end of the inlet tube 21 is supportedly mounted on the standard by means of the bolt 23 and has an upwardly flaring funnel 24 at its upper end. The cover is provided with handles 25 for convenience in removing the cover from the receptacle as it is desirable to have a close sliding fit. The coins collected from a meter, for example, are poured or discharged into the funnel and pass downwardly therefrom, some coins being conventionally illustrated at 26; see FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, coins being shown in introduced position in FIG. 3, and some of them as entering the receptacle in FIG. 4, and in guarded position in FIG. 6.

The guard means of our invention comprises a plate 27 disposed in downwardly spaced relation to the top of the cover and provided with peripheral side walls 28, the upper edges of which abut the underside of the top plate, the walls being secured to the cover by the clips 29. Bolts 30 are illustrated as the securing or connecting means. However, it will be understood that these clips may be welded to the underside of the top of the cover.

The guard plate 27 is provided with a discharge opening 31 disposed in laterally spaced relation to the iniet opening of the cover. A shield 32 for this discharge opening projects upwardly between the plate 27 and the inlet 15 and the discharge opening 31. A closure 33 is provided for the discharge opening 31 which is hinged at 34 and dimensioned to close the discharge opening. The hinge 34, in the embodiment illustrated, is disposed in substantial alignment with the shield 32.

In this embodiment of our invention, the closure 33 is provided with a weight 35 disposed at its swinging end. This permits the closure being formed of sheet metal stamping. It should be understood however that other weighting means might be provided for holding the closure in open position when the receptacle is in generally upright or receiving position. The receptacle, when coins are introduced, is in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the coins may rest upon the guard plate as illustrated in FIG. 3 but as soon as the carriage is tilted for translation the coins are discharged into the receptacle, as is illustrated in FIG. 4.

In the event an attempt is made to remove coins by inverting the cart, which is indicated in completely inverted position in FIG. 6, the closure 33 is automatically closed. It will of course be understood that the closure closes the cart or receptacle containing the coins when it is inverted or tilted to any position in an attempt to remove coins through the inlet, and any coins within the receptacle coact in holding the closure in closed position; that is if there are sufficient coins within the receptacle so that they overlap the guard plate. However the weight of the closure and the added weight of the weight member 35 act to automatically close the inlet opening when the receptacle is tilted substantially from upright position.

We have illustrated and described our invention in one highly practical embodiment thereof and an adaptation of our invention, an embodiment in which the receptacle is removably mounted on the transporting vehicle.

We have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations of our invention as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody our invention as may be desired for particular uses.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secured by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a vehicle comprising an axle provided with wheels, a platform supportedly and tiltably mounted on and projecting forwardly from the axle, and a standard projecting upwardly from the rear of the platform and constituting a handle, a receptacle removably mounted on said platform, and a cover for said receptacle having a flange-like rim of substantial width telescopingly engaging said receptacle, said cover and receptacle having coacting key released lock means, said cover having a rearwardly projecting lug thereon, said standard having a forwardly projecting lug disposed in lapping relation to said lug on said cover and adapted to be connected thereto by a lock, said cover having a central inlet opening therein surrounded by an outwardly projecting flange, a flexible coin conduit connected to said flange on said cover, the upper end of said coin conduit being supportedly mounted on said standard, a coin discharge guard comprising a guard plate having walls projecting upwardly therefrom and supportedly mounted on the inner side of the top of the cover in inwardly spaced relation to the rim thereof, said guard plate having a discharge opening therein disposed in rearwardly spaced relation to said inlet opening, a shield for said discharge opening projecting upwardly from said plate and disposed between said inlet opening in said cover and said discharge opening in said guard plate, and a closure for said discharge opening in said guard plate hingedly mounted on said guard plate at the inner edge of said discharge opening to swing downwardly therefrom, said closure being normally in open position When said receptacle is in upright position but closing when the receptacle is tilted or inverted as in efforts to discharge contents therein through said opening in said guard plate.

2. The combination of a vehicle comprising a tiltable body member and an upwardly projecting standard constituting a handle, a receptacle removably mounted on said vehicle body for tilting adjustment therewith, and a cover for said receptacle telescopingly engageable therewith, said cover having an inlet opening therein sur' rounded by an outwardly projecting flange, a flexible inlet conduit connected to said cover, the outer end of said conduit being supportedly mounted on said standard, a discharge guard supportedly mounted on the inner side of said cover and comprising a guard plate having upwardly projecting side flanges disposed in inwardly spaced relation to the rim of said cover and to the wall of said receptacle to receive the upper end of the receptacle therebetween, said guard plate having a discharge opening therein disposed in non-aligned relation to said inlet opening in said cover, a shield for said discharge opening disposed between said inlet opening and said discharge opening in said guard plate with its end edges in spaced relation to the side walls of said guard plate, and a closure for said discharge opening in said guard plate hingedly mounted on the guard plate to normally swing to open position, said closure member being in open position when the receptacle is in upright position as in the position to receive coins and in closed position when the receptacle is manipulated in an attempt to discharge the contents thereof through said opening in said guard plate.

3. The combinaton of a receptacle, a cover for said receptacle having a flange-like rim of substantial width telescopingly engaging said receptacle, said cover and receptacle having coacting lock means, said cover having an inlet opening therein, a coin discharge preventing means comprising a guard plate having walls projecting upwardly therefrom and supportedly mounted on the inner side of the top of the cover in inwardly spaced relation to the rim thereof, said guard plate having a discharge opening therein disposed in laterally spaced relation to said inlet opening, a shield for said discharge opening projecting upwardly from said plate between said inlet opening in said cover and said discharge opening in said guard plate, and a closure for said discharge opening in said guard plate hingedly mounted on said guard plate in opposed relation to said shield opening to swing inwardly relative thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,135,264 Cox Apr. 13, 1915 1,365,818 Cox Jan. 18,1921 2,749,030 Jones June 5, 1956 2,998,897 Rudder Sept. 5, 1961 

3. THE COMBINATION OF A RECEPTACLE, A COVER FOR SAID RECEPTACLE HAVING FLANGE-LIKE RIM OF SUBSTANTIAL WIDTH TELESCOPINGLY ENGAGING SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID COVER AND RECEPTACLE HAVING COACTING LOCK MEANS, SAID COVER HAVING AN INLET OPENING THEREIN, A COIN DISCHARGE PREVENTING MEANS COMPRISING A GUARD PLATE HAVING WALLS PROJECTING UPWARDLY THEREFROM AND SUPPORTEDLY MOUNTED ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE TOP OF THE COVER INWARDLY SPACED RELATION TO THE RIM THEREOF, SAID GUARD PLATE HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING THEREIN DISPOSED IN LATERALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID INLET OPENING, A SHIELD FOR SAID DISCHARGE OPENING PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID PLATE BETWEEN SAID INLET OPENING IN SAID COVER AND SAID DISCHARGE OPENING IN SAID GUARD PLATE, AND A CLOSURE FOR SAID DISCHARGE OPENING IN SAID GUARD PLATE HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID GUARD PLATE IN OPPOSED RELATION TO SAID SHIELD OPENING TO SWING INWARDLY RELATIVE THERETO. 